While falling rain has already complicated the search for survivors in Washington state’s devastating mudslide, another obstacle has presented itself in the form of potentially dangerous chemicals and sewage.

Rescue crews continued their search for survivors on Monday in
Oso, Washington, digging through 15 – 75 feet of mud that houses
wrecked propane and gas containers, septic tanks, and other
household chemicals that could pose a threat to workers and any
remaining survivors.

According to the AP, the official death toll has now climbed to
24, with seventeen of these bodies positively identified by
authorities as of Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, 30 people remain missing, a sharp decrease from the
176 potentially unaccounted for as of last week. As RT reported
then, officials cautioned they may have double counted some
individuals, while others had yet to inform their families of
their whereabouts.

The landslide, which occurred on March 22, is one of the
deadliest such disasters in US history. The incident began when a
nearby hillside collapsed, flowing over a river and burying about
30 houses, cars, and other things beneath waves of mud and dirt.

As search efforts continue, officials have become noticeably
concerned with the prospect of workers being contaminated by
chemicals released during the mudslide. According to the
Associated Press, rescue workers and dogs are all checked for and
cleaned of hazardous material before leaving the site.

"We're worried about dysentery, we're worried about tetanus,
we're worried about contamination," local fire Lieutenant
Richard Burke, told the AP. "The last thing we want to do is
take any of these contaminants out of here and take them into
town, back to our families."

"This is going to be a hazardous materials site for many
years while we try to get this cleaned up," he added to
Reuters.

Despite the ongoing rescue effort, officials said some victims
may never be recovered from the mud, and that they may not be
able to account for those who remain missing.

"We're looking for that miracle right now," Governor Jay
Inslee told Reuters. "If we don't find that miracle,
[relatives are] also looking for the knowledge of the fate of
their loved ones."